I've been low carbing for about 3 months now, not following any set plan, just avoiding the white foods (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and sugar, upping my saturated fats to healthy ones, like butter and coconut oil. Have been enjoying it, lost a little weight (nothing too significant unfortunately), but am never hungry, which is wonderful.

I had my gall bladder removed about 6 years ago, so I suspect that fat metabolism is tough for me, but I do take super enzymes and lecithin to help when I have alot of fat in a meal.

I have Hashimoto's disease and the only regular medication I take is my thyroxine. However, my last thyroid test showed my thyroid was in normal range now, so that's improved heaps.

I would suggest more thyroid testing. I had "normal" levels on the most common thyroid tests, but digging a little deeper some of the less common levels were off. I had low (but still technically normal) free t3 and high (but also still normal) reverse t3 and those two combined to wipe me out. I started taking rx t3 and I was able to get off the couch again.

Thyroid medication. Thyroxine is t4. Before your body can use it, it has to convert it to t3. T3 is what actually gets into the cells. The brand name is Cytomel, but I take a slow-release compounded form.

Yes, I'd tell you to get your thyroid levels checked--and be sure they check your T3.

I have Hashi's, and I've learned (after it happened to me) that the normal conversion of T4 to T3 in the body can be impeded with Hashi's so that we don't get sufficient T3. When that happened to me (and it can happen overnight), the fatigue was overwhelming. Now I have to take T3 (Cytomel) as well as my T4 in order to function. But the good news is that if you need T3, it worked almost immediately.

Also have your Vit. D checked if you haven't done that recently. My D was low when I was initially diagnosed hypothyroid, and the symptoms of low D are similar--fatigue, etc. Raising my Vit. D level was critical to feeling well.

Thanks for the advice. Its so hard to find a doctor who checks thyroid thorougly. I have had low Vit D too, was put on Vit D tablets. Now its autumn here and so lots of dull, drizzly weather. So I better make sure I start taking my Vit D again.

I had problems with fatigue for months after starting low carb. Although I don't have a measurable thyroid problem, everyone in my mother's family eventually goes hypothyroid so I'm just waiting for the tests to catch up. Anyway, I started taking all sorts of vitamins after starting LC and the magnesium and b vits did make me feel better. But what helped with the fatigue specifically is taking Acetyl l-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic acid. I read about it in a book by Jonny Bowden, and tried it on a whim. I'm up to 1500 mg of acetyl l-carnitine and 300 mg of ALA. I think it is the acetyl l-carnitine that is doing the work, IIRC it helps with fat processing into energy and crosses the blood-brain barrier unlike regular l-carnitine. I take amphetamines for ADHD, and even they don't work on the actual fatigue the way this has. It takes time to work, and you may not even really notice it, but when I missed a day of acetyl l-carnitine it took a few of taking it again to feel better. And it is worth it to buy the premium stuff, made by Sigma Tau (Doctor's Best and Jarrow both use it), because it works better than whatever NOW changed to a few years ago. The ALA at least helps with blood sugar if nothing else.

Sorry this is so disorganized, but brain isn't working well with words today

I was thinking of taking a magnesium supplement as well. I'll give that a try.

I am off to the doctor this afternoon to ask about my thyroid and if my thyroxine is doing the job, so no doubt I'll be sent off for blood tests.

Those supplements sound good solarpluvia, but I'm in Australia, so I doubt I can get Acetyl l-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic acid. But thank you for the info.

I have been losing weight, but its kind of odd because I feel lighter, my clothes are a little looser, but the scales don't say much at all. I've read that about low carb before, some people advising not to even take notice of scales, just go with measurements and how your clothes fit.